Book a Meeting Room

Catawba County Libraries (CCL) strive to provide an inclusive, hospitable, and safe library environment, which encourages reflection, study, and self-education for people of the community the library serves. To this end, CCL Community Meeting Rooms are available free of charge on an equitable basis as a designated and limited forum for organizations engaged in educational, cultural, civic, or charitable activities, so long as use does not interfere with library activities and functions.

Permission to use a Community Meeting Room does not constitute CCL sponsorship of an organization, its activities, or the viewpoints expressed by participants at any meeting.

Priority of Use

CCL Community Meeting Rooms are primarily for programs sponsored by the Library, Library Board, and other Library and Catawba County-related organizations. These CCL and Catawba County-related programs shall receive scheduling priority. Rooms will be secondarily available to other applicants at designated times and days when they are not scheduled for CCL or Catawba County-related programs.

Key Points

• Reservations may only be made by a Catawba County resident age 18+, and the applicant must remain in the room for the duration of the reservation period.
• Reservations are limited to one (1) reservation per calendar month per person or group at any time across the library system. Reservations will not be accepted for meetings that designate the library as a regular meeting place.
• Reservations will be made on a first-come first-served basis and no more than three (3) months in advance.
• No commercial uses, sales or solicitation events, non-library fundraisers, social, or celebratory events are permitted.
• Meetings must be open to the general public.
• Drugs, alcohol, tobacco products, vapor cigarettes, candles and/or open flames are not permitted in Catawba County facilities.
• Any printed publicity shall include the statement: “This program is not sponsored by the Catawba County Library.”  Applicants shall not use the Catawba County logo in any form of publicity. 

Rules of Use

1. All uses of Community Meeting Rooms must comply with federal, state, and local law.
2. No commercial uses, sales or solicitation events, non-library fundraisers, social, or celebratory events are permitted.
3. Groups may not charge admission or make monetary collections, regardless of whether these collections are designated as voluntary.
4. All meetings must be open to the general public. No person shall be excluded from attendance except in order to comply with the occupancy limit applicable to the facility.
5. Groups serving refreshments are responsible for wiping down tables and chairs, gathering trash into the provided receptables and cleaning any spills that may occur. There are no available food preparation spaces.
6. Meetings at the Main Library in Newton must take place within library hours including set up and take-down.  With a deposit of $100, special after-hours access can be arranged at the Sherrills Ford-Terrell, St. Stephens, and Southwest Branch Libraries between 9 am-10 pm Monday-Saturday and 1-10 pm on Sunday.
7. An applicant shall be deemed to forfeit the reservation if they fail to appear as scheduled within 30 minutes after the designated start of a reservation period. All meetings must end 30 minutes before the Library closes, regardless of start time, unless after-hours access has been arranged in advance. Meetings may not disrupt Library patrons or staff.  CCL reserves the right to terminate any use that disrupts or interferes with normal Library operations.
8. No activities that impede or disrupt the functions of the library (for example, unacceptable noise levels, traffic patterns or activities in areas other than designated meeting room.)  Anyone attending the meeting is subject to all facility regulations and policies as set forth in the Library’s Welcoming Spaces guidelines.
9. Attendance must not exceed the posted capacity of the rooms.
10. Do not nail, tack, or tape anything to any meeting room tables, walls, ceilings, or equipment unless using removable painter’s tape.
11. Any use of equipment or supplies must be preapproved by CCL.  No equipment that creates a risk or nuisance for Library property, patrons, or staff will be permitted.   
12. Except as permitted in N.C.G.S. § 163-99 as it may be amended, political events are prohibited in County facilities and on County grounds, including but not limited to meetings, campaigns, rallies, fundraisers, and advertisements.
13. Smoking, use of tobacco products, and use of vapor products, drugs and alcohol are prohibited in all County facilities and on County grounds
14. While every effort will be made to honor reservations, CCL may cancel scheduled reservations to allow for library/county use of the room. If such an event occurs, the CCL staff will give as much advanced notice as possible.

Applicant Responsibilities

1. Reservations may only be made by a Catawba County resident age 18+, and this person must remain in the room for the duration of the period for which it is reserved.
2. The person reserving the room assumes all responsibility for any damage to the Library facilities.
3. Groups should designate a representative to direct attendees/participants to the room.
4. The reserving group is responsible for any set up of special equipment, carrying supplies to and from the meeting room, and leaving the room clean and orderly.
5. Prior to the meeting date, each group is responsible for completing online training on how to properly use the meeting room presentation equipment (i.e., laptop, projector, T.V., extension cords, etc.)
6. Groups must acquire required public performance rights and adhere to copyright laws for any media viewings.  
7. The reserving group shall not transfer permission to use the Community Meeting Room to any other group or modify the purpose of the request without the written consent of CCL.
8. When the meeting is over, the responsible party must complete the post-event checklist, secure the meeting room, and check out at the circulation desk.

Liability

The Catawba County Public Libraries assumes no responsibility for loss, theft, or damage to personal items, equipment, or vehicles in the parking lot. An individual representative of the group and/or organization must sign the Community Meeting Room Application, releasing the library of any responsibility for damage or loss suffered during the period of agreement.  The applicant, group, individuals and/or organizations shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Catawba County, Catawba County Library System and its elected officials, officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims, suits, actions of any kind, arising and resulting and accruing from any negligent act, omission or error of the Applicant group, individual and/or organization resulting in or relating to personal injuries or property damage arising from the Applicant organization/group’s use of the library meeting room.

Publicity

Each Applicant group is responsible for its own publicity.  Any printed publicity shall include the statement: “This program is not sponsored by the Catawba County Library.”  Applicant shall not use the Catawba County logo in any publicity.  Participants may not call or mail the library to register. Materials may not be attached to walls, windows, doors, or furnishings.  Unauthorized signs will be removed.

Library Managers have the right to terminate any use of the Community Meeting Room for unlawful activity, violation of rules, or interfering with functioning or safety of the Library.  In addition, any individual violating the Community Meeting Room Rules of Use in a manner that constitutes a Type I Trespass (violating policy, disrespecting staff or visitors, interrupting county business) or Type II Trespass (criminal, threatening, or violent act) may be charged with trespassing.

When meeting rooms are not in use by the Library or by Catawba County Government, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis to individuals, groups, and organizations as specified in this document, and with a completed application.

Reservations must be requested at least three days in advance of the meeting date in order to ensure time for confirmation. Reservations can be requested by residents of Catawba County who are 18 or over. The person making the reservation must be in attendance at the meeting or event and is responsible for ensuring adherence to meeting room policy and that the room is left in a clean and orderly condition.

Reservations can generally be made up to 90 days (three months) in advance of a meeting or event. One reservation per month may be made for recurring meetings, in order to allow for equal access and availability.

Room requests must be accompanied by a completed application. A reservation with application can be made in person or online.

Upon accepting the policy and signing the Catawba County Library System Application for Meeting Room Use, the person making the reservation assumes personal responsibility for: the conduct and behavior of persons attending the meeting, and payment for any damage to library property resulting from the meeting.

• Main Library, Newton
• St. Stephens
• Southwest
• Sherrills Ford-Terrell

Meeting room may be used after normal library hours, between 9am – 10pm, Monday-Saturday and 1-10 pm on Sunday.

The applicant will receive instructions for accessing and securing the space and must ensure the space is secured after use as instructed.

A deposit of $100 in the form of cash, check or credit card is required for after-hours use, which will be refunded on the next business day with confirmation of secured, clean and orderly space without damages.

• Main Library, Newton: 120
• Sherrills Ford-Terrell: 80
• St. Stephens: 89
• Southwest: 80